Differences Between the Eyes of a Wolf & a Human

Wolves belong to the Canid family. They have longer legs and larger paws than domesticated dogs, which are also canines. Wolves are social animals that live in packs. They have keen eyesight and can detect the slightest movements of small animals. Wolves' vision becomes blurry as objects become more distant. Humans also have good vision capabilities. They can see for clearly for long distances and have sharp focus.

Wolf Eyes

Wolves' eyes are typically golden-yellow. At night they shine a greenish-orange color. The pupils are round and black. The eyes are situated on the front of the face and point forward. Wolves' facial masks draw attention to the eyes. This is important because wolves heavily rely on eye contact to communicate. The fur around the eyes accents the eyes so that they appear larger than they truly are.

Wolf Sight Capabilities

Wolves have keen vision capabilities. They are able to detect the movements of small animals at least 10 feet away and of large animals at a greater distance. However, wolves are also myopic, or near-sighted. Wolves lack a fovea centralis, which is located in the central back of the retina in other mammals. The fovea centralis provides the point of sharpest vision in the species that have it. Wolves also lack the foveal pit. The foveal pit allows other mammals to focus their sight at greater distances. It is believed that wolves' vision begins to blur beyond distances of 150 feet. It is unknown whether wolves see some colors or are completely color-blind. These animals see more clearly at night. They have a sight-field of 180 degrees.

Human Eyes

The irises of human eyes are typically colored brown, blue, green or hazel. The pupil is round and black. The eyes are situated on the front of the face and point forward. Humans place a lot of importance on the eyes. They decorate them with make-up, wear glasses to improve vision and protect them from damage with goggles or sunglasses. The human eye is about the same size as a ping pong ball.

Human Sight Capabilities

Human eyes are able to perceive most colors. Unlike wolves, humans see better in the daytime than in darkness. Humans can see clearly for great distances. However, their ability to focus on smaller points and objects is limited to about 60 feet. Individual humans have their vision measured by reading an eye chart that tests their visual acuity. Humans possess the foveal pit and fovea centralis that allow them to focus their vision. Humans often stress their vision through reading, computer use and other activities. Many people today have to wear corrective lenses to experience optimal vision.